New faction with released stars, title pursuit - 5 directions for Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander as a tag team in WWE
An exciting new tag team is on the block in WWE. On the latest episode of Monday Night RAW, Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander teamed up to take on The Miz and Ciampa. Fans following the WWE Main Event will know that the talented superstars have been united for weeks, but the team has made it to the big time.
Ali and Alexander have a lot of history together in WWE. Both stars were part of the Cruiserweight Classic and later 205 Live, and even competed against each other at WrestleMania for the Cruiserweight Championship. Since moving on from the purple brand, both have found mixed success at best.
Now that the two look to be an official tag team, many have been wondering what could be next for them. Neither have been used to the best of their abilities, but with Triple H in charge creatively, there's hope that could change.
Below are 5 directions for Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander as a tag team in WWE:
#5. They could form a stable of former 205 Live stars
Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander have both been wrestling for a long time. Prior to joining World Wrestling Entertainment, they were successful on the independent circuit. Their entry into WWE came courtesy of the Cruiserweight Classic, which led to the creation of 205 Live.
Being two of the key members of the purple brand, they were often regarded as the Heart and Soul of 205 Live, with Ali being the heart and Cedric being the soul. Their reunion has excited fans of 205 Live, but there are still a few other superstars from the show who are not doing much.
An interesting twist could be that Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander could form a stable, with some of the other wrestlers from 205 Live. They could either be faces or heels.
RAW is home to another former 205 Live star who isn't doing much in Akira Tozawa. Meanwhile, Drew Gulak could join them from SmackDown. Some released stars could also potentially return to the company to be by their side, such as the Lucha House Party or the Bollywood Boyz.
#4. Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali could battle Alpha Academy
The Alpha Academy is a tag team on WWE RAW consisting of Chad Gable and Otis. Prior to uniting on-screen, both real-life best friends were in different tag teams. Gable tagged up with Jason Jordan, Robert Roode, and Shelton Benjamin. Otis was part of Heavy Machinery alongside Tucker Knight.
While the two officially united in 2020, they only started to find real success earlier this year. Together, the talented amateur wrestlers defeated RK-Bro for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championship. While they lost their titles back to the unlikely team two months later, their win is still impressive.
The Alpha Academy could be the perfect team to feud with Ali and Alexander. From an in-ring standpoint, the matches will be incredible. More importantly, Gable is excellent at getting heat from the crowd. Plus, Otis will seem even bigger next to the two cruiserweights. A multi-match series between the two talented teams could ultimately benefit both.
#3. The pair could start a full-time rivalry with The Miz and Ciampa
The Miz and Ciampa is a team that many WWE fans didn't expect to see and didn't think would work. On the surface, both stars are very different. Ciampa is a gritty, hard-nosed psychopath while The Miz is the most arrogant superstar in wrestling.
Despite the two seemingly being a mismatch together, they somehow made it work. They've also started to find success as a tag team. On WWE RAW this past week, the tandem picked up a big win over Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander.
With that being said, the two teams can continue their feud and start a full rivalry. All four are incredibly talented performers and The Miz's starpower could help elevate the other three amazing athletes in the eyes of fans who may not yet acknowledge them as major stars. Ciampa's stock in the company has risen significantly since being paired with The Miz, so it'd be logical to assume that their rivals would excel too.
#2. They could fight Judgment Day
The Judgment Day is aiming to become the most dominant faction in all of WWE. The stable currently consists of Finn Balor, Damian Priest, and Rhea Ripley. Collectively, all three have won major championships.
Despite their intimidation tactics, they may fail to strike fear in Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander. The first reason is that Ali and Alexander are daredevils. Their exciting, high-risk in-ring style proves they don't fear much. It could prove challenging to intimidate and bully a team who will put their lives and bodies on the line.
The bigger reason why Judgment Day's intimidation games may not work for Cedric and Mustafa is because both have been where Judgment Day is now. Cedric Alexander was a member of The Hurt Business while Ali led Retribution. They know the game all too well, and that may give them an advantage over the brooding faction. Regardless, a feud between the two teams could be very entertaining.
#1. Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander could challenge the Usos for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship
The Usos have built a legacy in WWE that very few teams in history can match. Together, they've captured tag team gold on eight separate occasions. Three of the championship reigns were with the RAW Tag Team Titles, while the other five have been with the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.
The twins currently hold both the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Titles, making them the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions. Nearly 400 days into their current title run, they're in the middle of the fifth longest tag team title reign in the company's history. They've battled and beaten virtually every top team that has come into the company over the past decade plus.
However, Jimmy and Jey need new, fresh opponents, which is exactly why Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali would make excellent challengers. Their matches can be incredible, but more importantly, the feud will be unique.
Alexander and Ali make for a different kind of team than those The Usos usually face. A tag team title feud would elevate the former 205 Live stars while adding to The Usos legacy.
Triple H's vision of professional wrestling is obviously different than that of Vince McMahon's. If the new direction for World Wrestling Entertainment leads to a regular role for the new pairing of Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander, fans could be in for a treat on RAW going forward.
Speaking of the red brand, click here for 5 women who could win the RAW Women's Championship before 2022 comes to a close.